Mongolian Beef and Noodles

We love skillet recipes because of how easy they are to make on the stovetop. This Asian inspired dish is restaurant quality that can easily be made at home. Ground beef is seasoned and cooked then the sauce ingredients are added to create a flavorful sauce.

The rice noodles are prepared separately and then mixed with the ground beef sauce mixture for a delicious takeout meal made at home. This dish is full of sweet and spicy flavors that is always a family favorite.

If you love Mongolian Beef as much as my family, make Crock Pot Mongolian Beef or try Beef and Broccoli Recipe. Another family favorite is Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles.

Why We Love this Recipe:

• Pantry Ingredients – We cook a lot of Asian dishes because we love the flavor, so we easily made this dish without having to buy a lot of ingredients. These ingredients are simple and flavorful.
• Ground Beef – This recipe is usually made with thinly slice flank steak. But using ground beef save money and it is just as good. You can even use ground pork or ground turkey.
• Noodles – We love how easy the rice noodles were to prepare. But if you have some ramen noodles or fettuccini noodles you can make this recipe with it too.
• Vegetables – Feel free to add in some vegetable to this dish. Broccoli is one of our favorite sides but you can add to it as well. You can also add in snow peas or shredded carrots for color and texture.
• Leftovers – The leftovers the next day taste amazing. The sauce really marinates into the noodles giving it so much flavor. The leftovers will stay great for up to 4 days.

What is Mongolian Beef?

Mongolian Beef is usually made with flank steak but in this recipe we used ground beef. Which makes this dish budget friendly and easy to make. This is a Chinese American inspired dish that has a sweet and salty flavors.

The soy sauce based sauce is combined with ginger, garlic, beef broth and brown sugar to create a simple sauce. These sauce and ground is then combined with simple rice noodles to create a popular Chinese take out recipe.

Ingredients 

• Ground Ginger – Check out The Best Ginger Substitutes if you are out.
• Minced Garlic – Learn How to Mince Garlic Cloves with these easy steps.
• Brown Sugar – If you are out The Best Brown Sugar Substitutes

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.

Substitutions and Additions

• Seasoning – We used fresh ginger but you can also use ground ginger. Minced garlic is what we recommend but you can also use fresh garlic or garlic powder.
• Sweetness – We like to add in a ¼ cup of brown sugar. But you can adjust the sweetness level to what you prefer. Add in more or use less. You can also use a sugar replacement such as coconut sugar or date sugar
• Extra Spice – We love the flavor that the red pepper flakes gives the sauce, but you can also add in dried chili peppers.
• Soy Sauce – We used low sodium soy sauce in this recipe. But you can easily substitute for coconut aminos as a soy sauce substitute. Sesame oil is also a great option to add in the sauce mixture.
• Flank Steak – You can easily make this dish with thinly sliced flank steak instead of ground. We use flank steak when make this dish in the slow cooker.
• Ground Beef – If you prefer you make this dish with ground turkey or ground pork. I even even used half ground turkey and half ground beef.
• Vegetables – For added flavor and color, add in some broccoli to this dish. You can even mix in cauliflower, green beans, mushrooms or frozen mixed vegetables.
• Serving – Make sure to serve with some diced up green onions. For a crunchier topping add some chopped peanuts and sesame seeds.
• Hoisin Sauce – If you are out of hoisin sauce you can substitute with garlic teriyaki, bean paste, or barbecue molasses.

How to Make Mongolian Beef and Noodles

Step 1 – Cook Ground Beef – In a large skillet, brown the ground beef.  Break up the beef as it browns on high heat.  Then drain off any excess grease.  Add in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute until the garlic is aromatic. 

Step 2 – Prepare Noodles – While the beef is cooking, prepare the noodles based on the package instructions.  Rinse with cold water and set aside. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, beef broth, hoisin sauce, pepper and red pepper flakes to the skillet with the beef.  Stir to combine all the ingredients.  

Step 4 – Make Cornstarch Slurry – Mix the cornstarch with a small amount of cold water.  Stir until it’s dissolved and then stir this mixture into the skillet as well. 

Step 5 – Boil Sauce Ingredients – Bring to a low boil.  Heat until the sauce has thickened and then stir in the cooked noodles.  Toss to combine the noodles thoroughly with the sauce and the meat mixture. 

• Step 6 – Serve and Enjoy – Remove the pan from the heat but allow the noodles to sit in the sauce mixture for a few minutes to absorb the flavors.  Then serve warm topped with the sliced green onions and sesame seeds.  Enjoy! 

Tips for the Best Mongolian Beef Noodles:

• Cooking Ground Beef – Make sure when cooking the meat to break up any small pieces. Then drain any excess grease from the meat.
• Noodles – Cook the noodles according to package. Rinse the noodles after cooking and set the noodles aside before mixing in with other ingredients.
• Sauce – Bring the sauce to boil after mixing in the cornstarch to thicken it. After bringing to a boil, mix in the noodles and allow the noodles to sit for a few minutes. This will allow the noodles to absorb the flavor.
• Thickening the Sauce – Make sure to not skip on the cornstarch slurry. This results in a thicker sauce that makes this dish so delicious.
• Preparing Dish – We recommend using a Wok or skillet to combine the ingredients. This allows you to have plenty of room to move the ingredients around.
• Prepare Ingredients – When we make this dish, I like to have all my sauce and seasoning measured out since everything cooks quickly.
• Keep Stirring – Keep stirring the ingredients while the sauce is thickening and combining the ingredients.
• Easy Cleanup – We love that everything cooks in one skillet. It makes for an easy cleanup so we can spend more time with family.

What to Serve with Mongolian Beef

• Roasted Broccoli – Since this dish is rich and hearty, we like to keep the sides simple. You can easily serve this dish with some roasted broccoli for a delicious and easy side.
• Roasted Asparagus – Place your prepared asparagus in the oven for a easy side dish. It is healthy and taste amazing in the oven.

Best Noodles for Mongolian Beef

The best noodles for Mongolian Beef is Rice noodles. The mix well with this dish and is very similar to what they use when getting this recipe at a restaurant.

If you are unable to find rice noodles at the grocery store you can use a similar style of noodle. We recommend Vermicelli Noodles, Linguine, or Fettuccini Noodles. Any long noodles will work.